The Cross of the Fallen of Cáceres has joined the left as a whole against the protection plans of the Junta de Extremadura, whose Department of Culture has initiated the file to have it declared an Asset of Cultural Interest (BOE). Historical memory associations They consider that it is a “political maneuver” to avoid compliance with the Law 20/2022 of Democratic Memory and perpetuate Francoist symbols in the urban space of Cáceres, in line with an agenda set for the Extremadura Government of the Popular Party by organizations attached to the right, such as Hazte Oír, and the political party Vox, which imposed its conditions on María Guardiola for her coalition Government.
Now, entities such as the Association for the Recovery of the Historical Memory of Extremadura (Armhex), have launched a public campaign, which includes the collection of signatures – there have been more than 3,000 in a week –in which they demand the immediate removal of the Cross of the Fallen, located in the Plaza de América in Cáceres, considering it a vestige of the Franco dictatorship, despite the fact that It was stripped of all symbols of the regime. Likewise, they have announced the presentation of allegations against the file initiated to declare the enclave as a BIC with the aim of “forcing its permanence on public roads.”
State resolution
In this sense, they announce that they will appear in the declaration file as BIC to have access to the reports managed by the Junta de Extremadura.
The memorial organizations point out that behind the initiation of the BIC file are the agreements between PP and Vox to “evade compliance” with the Democratic Memory Law.
This action attempts to “block” the resolution of the Government of Spain that has already ordered the elimination of the cross and its inclusion in the catalog of symbols contrary to democratic memory.
Likewise, it was already included in the catalog of Francoist vestiges of the Cáceres Provincial Council since 2018. In addition, they recall the existence of a full agreement of the Cáceres City Council dated December 16, 2004, approved unanimously, for the removal of the cross and its transfer to the municipal cemetery. Among the arguments used by the promoters of the campaign, they point out that it has its origin in fascist propaganda, since it was conceived in 1937 and built in the middle of the Civil War, as well as that it was designed “with the explicit purpose of glorifying the Franco dictatorship.”
Likewise, they consider that it represents a humiliation for the victims, since it represents “a symbol of pain for the families of the more than 677 people executed in Cáceres between 1936 and 1943, many of whom remain missing.”
“Simple design”
They also affirm that there has not been a “resignification and artistic value” of the monument, understanding that the removal of plaques in 1984 “it did not alter its function of totalitarian exaltation.” Furthermore, the technical reports indicate that it is a work “of a simple and repetitive design that lacks the exceptional artistic value to be protected as a BIC.”
For all these reasons, they demand the immediate cancellation of the processing of the file that seeks to grant maximum heritage protection to the monument; as well as the execution of article 35 of Law 20/2022 and the resolution of the Secretary of State to proceed with the removal of the cross. Likewise, for the sake of transparency, they ask for the full publication of regional technical reports and formal consideration of state resolutions.
The associations maintain that historical memory is defended “through pedagogy and research in museums and books, not by maintaining monuments of totalitarian exaltation in shared public spaces.”
The promoters of the initiative
The signatures collected will be sent to both the Government of Extremadura and the City Council of Cáceres. The promoters of this initiative are Armhex (Association for the Recovery of the Historical Memory of Extremadura), Garciaz Historical Memory Group, ARMH José González Barrero, AMHD Tierra de Barros, Amececa, Group of Relatives of the Disappeared from the Civil War and the Feria Franco regime, Alburquerque Future Memory Collective, Afamevva, Amecadec, AMHD-CS. Also the Jerte Valley Youth Association, Matilde Landa Association, Fregenal de la Sierra Association of Retaliators of Francoism, AVF Valverde de Llerena, Families of Republican combatants missing in the Extremadura Front, Group of Retaliated Relatives of Zarza la Mayor, Delegation in Extremadura of the Amical de Mauthausen and other camps and of all the victims of Nazism in Spain, La Association Corujá of Bodonal de la Sierra.